Exercising

This week we will not be having our meeting due to Enrichment Night.

Last week we talked about the nutrition side of getting healthier and losing weight, this week we are focusing on the second part- EXERCISE.

The following information is our "mini lesson" for this week. It is an article from the American Heart Association.

Tips for Exercise Success



Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, aerobic dancing, walking or any of dozens of other activities can help your heart. They all cause you to feel warm, perspire and breathe heavily without being out of breath and without feeling any burning sensation in your muscles. Whether it is a structured exercise program or just part of your daily routine, all exercise adds up to a healthier heart.
Here are some tips for exercise success:


*If you've been sedentary for a long time, are overweight, have a high risk of coronary heart disease or some other chronic health problem, see your doctor for a medical evaluation before beginning a physical activity program.


*Choose activities that are fun, not exhausting. Add variety. Develop a repertoire of several activities that you can enjoy. That way, exercise will never seem boring or routine.


*Wear comfortable, properly fitted footwear and comfortable, loose-fitting clothing appropriate for the weather and the activity.


*Find a convenient time and place to do activities. Try to make it a habit, but be flexible. If you miss an exercise opportunity, work activity into your day another way.


*Use music to keep you entertained.


*Surround yourself with supportive people. Decide what kind of support you need. Do you want them to remind you to exercise? Ask about your progress? Participate with you regularly or occasionally? Allow you time to exercise by yourself? Go with you to a special event, such as a 10K walk/run? Be understanding when you get up early to exercise? Spend time with the children while you exercise? Try not to ask you to change your exercise routine? Share your activity time with others. Make a date with a family member, friend or co-worker. Be an active role model for your children.


*Don't overdo it. Do low- to moderate-level activities, especially at first. You can slowly increase the duration and intensity of your activities as you become more fit. Over time, work up to exercising on most days of the week for 30-60 minutes.


*Keep a record of your activities. Reward yourself at special milestones. Nothing motivates like success!

Tonight's Lesson

Tonight we are focusing on Nutrition.

I began a program many years ago called Power 90. It is a fitness regimen that you do for 90 days straight. In addition to rigorous exercise, you are also given a nutrition guide to follow.
When I have been good and actually stuck to the program, I have lost weight.

The nutrition guide that I have been using from this program is called Michi's Ladder. It is a tiered nutrition guide created by a dietician with losing weight and being healthy- the goal.
You can access this guide at the following link: http://www.beachbody.com/category/michis_ladder.do

This link was also added to the Biggest Loser links for future reference.

Michi recommends eating from Tier 1 & Tier 2 for a near perfect diet. Tier 3 is referred to as "SWISS food" because it is neutral- there are benefits and hazards. Tier 4 should be eaten in moderation. Tier 5 are all of the foods that taste delicious- but you pay for later....

I really like this nutrition guide b/c it leaves the choice to you. I also love that there are carbs on the top 2 tiers. I know from personal experience that this is a great nutritional guide that can help you lose weight.

A Special thanks to each of you who come each week- you really help me in my journey to a healthier life.

Boot Camp Day One

Well, for those that came- today was a success! We all ran/ walked at least 1 mile this afternoon. It was surprisingly not too hot. A special thanks to those that came: Jolynn, Amy, Celeste, Briggite, Megan, & I had a lot of fun!

Tomorrow we will be doing Zumba at 4pm. Tomorrow evening is our first Biggest Loser meeting. I hope to see you there!

BOOT CAMP

BOOT CAMP

Come join me for a BOOT CAMP to kick the school year off right! We will be meeting everyday after school this week at the Landolt Elementary track at 4 pm to exercise. (FREE)

August 25th -29th

Monday: Running/Walking; Calisthenics

Tuesday: Zumba - A guest instructor from the YMCA will be coming to teach this Latin Infusion Dance Workout.

Wednesday: Running/Walking; Calisthenics

Thursday: Aerobics- A guest instructor from the YMCA will be coming to teach us Aerobics, along with some strength training.

Friday: Running/Walking; Calisthenics

***NO matter what your fitness level, come take advantage of this opportunity to kick-start a healthier lifestyle!***

Last Night's Meeting

Last night's meeting was very insightful. A very special thanks to Celeste for putting together so much important information regarding our health! I have included the things she taughts us about and the handouts in the posts below. Celeste has been researching nutrition and health for the past ten years. She is very knowledgable and is happy to share her research. If you have any questions regarding the research listed below in the following 3 posts, feel free to contact her and ask questions. She has all of the references where she got her information from if you are interested in learning more.

The book she is reading now and most reccomends to each of us is: "The Truth about Beauty" by Kat James. You can buy it on Amazon for about $8 used. Amazon readers have given the book an average of 4.5 stars with 5 stars being the top rating. The majority of information given out last night came from this source. I encourage you to pick it up and read it.

We also discussed the benefits of using herbs in your diet. They can greatly improve your health when used in the correct manner.

Christine Soper and Joy Chalk offered their home for a special meeting tonight for anyone that is interested. Their doctor is coming to the Chalk's home for an informative meeting about Isagenix- a natural cleansing diet w/ herbal supplements. Christine has lost 25 -30 lbs on it in the last 2 months. I have not personally used it and do not know what all it entails- I am just putting the meeting information out there, so if any of you happen to be of interest you can attend. If you do not know where the Chalks live and need directions, you can email or call me this afternoon. The meeting will be tonight- Friday at 7pm.

How to Overcome Sugar/Carb Addiction

Thanks Celeste for the fabulous lesson!

Sugar/Carb Addiction and Severe Cravings

First of all Sugar Cravings are a Chemical addiction that cannot be overcome by “willpower” alone. The cravings you have for sugar and refined carbs are primarily your body’s call for nourishment which is silenced by a sugar fix. Many people don’t realize that their bodies are under nourished and over fed with pesticides, refined sugars, and other harmful substances we consume. By stabilizing your blood sugar, your body’s needs will be met in a way that satisfies its deepest hunger and thirst, and will remain satisfied until TRUE hunger- not just cravings- strikes.

White Flour-
Everything of value is taken from a wheat kernel, such as the wheat germ, minerals, antioxidants, vital oils, and crucial fiber. Then the flour is bleached, and sometimes even preserved, leaving traces of carcinogens like formaldehyde.

A calorie is NOT a calorie-
Controlling calorie intake without considering the caloric form can leave you deeply deprived of true sustenance while turning your body into a fat storing machine. One food can set you up for cravings, weight gain, and energy slumps, while the caloric equivalent of another food can leave you energized and slim and leaving you with a satisfied full feeling. A high fat (natural) diet will help you lose more weight than a high refined carb diet which will only leave you fatigued, and craving more food.

Some motivations to stop the chemical dependency with refined carbs and sugar:

§ Elimination of the PRIMARY cause of premature aging
§ A slimmer, sleeker body
§ Dramatically refined facial appearance due to diminished puffiness
§ Fewer wrinkles in the near future and smoother skin
§ Better skin color and reduced sensitivity
§ VICTORY OVER CRAVINGS!
§ Sugar causes varicose veins
§ Sugar compromises your immune system for hrs after consumption
§ Sugar wrinkles your skin and ages your body
§ Sugar causes inflammation and fluid retention
§ Sugar raises triglyceride levels in the blood
§ Sugar depletes nutrition and therefore causes MORE sugar cravings
§ Sugar causes insulin to make your body store fat


How to Overcome Sugar/Carb Addiction and Severe Cravings

Calories are not the real problem; it’s the unstable chemistry of cravings, energy, and moods that sugary, caffeinated, and diet drinks create.

Avoid Caffeine- a)Causes blood-sugar drop
b) Increases sugar cravings
c) causes increased fatigue over time that is caused by the
exhaustion of the adrenal gland
d) can cause insulin resistance
e) contributes to elevated cortisol, a stress hormone (which
affects sleep (which lessens the beautifying human growth
hormone secretion and causes immunity problems, accelerated
aging, mood swings, and increased abdominal fat, under eye
puffiness, water retention, decreases mineral absorption which
makes for weaker bones, weight gain from lowered DHEA,
depression due to the lowering effect of serotonin in the brain
f) epileptic seizures

Restore Alkaline Balance- ex. Lemon in water (See additional handout)



Avoid GMO’s (Genetically modified organisms) and other FAKE FOODS:
§ Not yet been subjected to long-term studies
§ Have been proven to be unpredictable
§ Considered to be potentially dangerous by many scientists
§ Most GMO’s are not allowed in Europe, if allowed they must be sold with a warning label
§ US allows GMO’s and does not require a warning label (YET)

4a. Low Glycemic Foods- glycemic index.com
Ø Cause a slower rise in blood-sugar levels
Ø Tend to be low in sugar and high in protein and nutrients
Ø Eliminates blood sugar induced “chemical” cravings.
Ø Will decrease your risk of heart disease
Ø Will reverse some symptoms of diabetes

4b. Low Glycemic Foods- Start meals off with a protein or fat , such as a nibble of cheese- as opposed to wine or bread on an empty stomach. This will keep you from immediately shocking your system into pumping out too much insulin. You can combine and average GI’s in your meal so that you will be able to eat just about anything you want. Ex. I love pineapple so I eat fresh cut pineapple in my full fat or reduced fat cottage cheese. Other examples: Tortilla chips with cheese dip,
Use High Quality Organic Supplements to help free yourself from your chemical addiction
I. High quality muti vitamin (should look more like a horse pill) Forget about RDA’s.
II. Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFA)(fish or Flax seed oil) an essential fat which your body likely lacks. Helps release fat from the body in addition to maintaining so many health factors which affect your quality of life like: hormone balance. Cholesterol ratios, skin and hair health, joint flexibility, moods, and immunity.
III. B Complex
IV. Chromium picolinate (helps control blood sugar)


5. Knowledge is POWER!

What is in your tap water?

Special thanks to Celeste for preparing this information!

What’s in your Water?

Humans once drank the same water fresh water fish swam in. Why then, can my fish not survive in my drinking water now? If it kills them, what could it possibly do for me?

What if you could dramatically improve the health of your skin and hair, reduces allergies, and your risk of cancer, eliminate premature aging and toxic exposure without altering your routine? Water purifiers are the best beauty bang for the buck!

Tap water consists of many harmful substances including heavy metals, volatile organic chemicals, and chlorine- which ages the body and skin and impedes the body’s ecology.


Here are some reasons to upgrade to pure water:
Clearer, more comfortable skin as body ecology is re-established
A slowdown of your aging process
Healthier digestive tract and better absorption of nutrients.
Diminished allergies and yeast infections with improved bacterial balance
Dramatically reduces or eliminates chlorine which makes hair, nails and skin dry and brittle. Our bodies soak chlorine and anything else we put on it directly into the blood stream. 70% of what we put on our bodies gets absorbed into our blood stream.

If you do nothing else, at least upgrade your drinking water and showers!

Best Shower Filter (Zinc-Copper Filter)

Common Myths & Facts about your health- Special thanks to Celeste for providing this information

Myth: My Doctor will keep me informed.

Fact: Your doctor may not know about or consider natural treatment options.

Some Dr’s depend entirely on pharmaceutical sales reps for ongoing treatment information.

The average pharmaceutical company spends about $13,000 per doctor per year to court physicians with perks and incentiveives:
- frequent flyer miles
- Broadway shows
- Exotic trips

Pharmacueticals also have sent rebates to Pharmasists as encouragement to favor their drug.

Scientists are currently allowed to accept money or stock from a company while conducting research on its products. Gov’t tried to impose restrictions on this but lobbyist won.


Natural (unpatanable) herbs and other other remedies cannot compete with the Pharmaceutical lobbyists and the entire industry as a whole.

In a New York Times article, Marion Moss, former investigator with the Texas Attorney General’s office said, “During the eight years when I was an investigator I had numerous occasions to work with the FDA on cases involving potential health fraud. I repeatedly saw cases against large companies go unchallenged. Instead the agency chose to pursue cases involving alternative health car providers.”


Myth: Eating high-cholesterol foods causes heart disease.
Truth: High-glycemic foods can cause heart problems.

Repeated large scale studies (2002 study of over 12k men published in the American Journal of Cardiology) have failed to confirm that dietary cholesterol (such as eating eggs) has any significant impact on serum-cholesteral levels, let alone heart disease. On the other hand, it is now known that high-glycemic foods and related problems like insulin resistance can cause obesity and raise triglycerides, posing much more danger to your heart.






Antibacterial soaps: Like antibiotics, these soaps detroy both good and bad bacteria and could give rise to microbes that are resistant to such products.

Fat Free Foods: Are High Glycemic and therefore raise triglicerides and can lead to insulin problems, unhealthy blood-sugar, metabolism, weight gain, and even diabetes.

Nutrasweet/Aspartame: Routine consumption creates build-up of methanol in the body leading to neurological and other problems. It also leads to blood sugar problems and card addictions.

Hydrogenated fat:one of the most dangerous foods we eat. Hydrogenated fat is used to “embalm” packaged foods to extend their shelf life. This substance assaults your body with free radicals every time you eat it. Free radicals are very well known to cause the development of many serious diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. It also influences hormone activity and causes inflammation. There is NO acceptable safe level of daily intake of trans-fats. (The FDA currently advises less than 2 grams daily)

MSG- is an excitoxin because it can overstimulate the brain cells and trigger migraines.
Hydrolized vegetable protein- is just another name for MSG and is found in canned and prepared foods and gravy mixes.

Nitrates- Nitrates are found in foods such as bacon, deli meat, and hot dogs. Nitrates are carcinogens (known to cause cancer)

Red dye #3- is known to cause thyroid tumor in rats. Red dye is in fruit cocktail, red canned cherries and many other foods.

Fake foods- Fake foods are anything that is derived from a chemical process and NOT found in nature. Remember just because it is found in nature does not mean it is good for you. Be leary of foods that advertise “natural ingredients”.

Eat Organic- Under regulation, all products labeled as organic must be produced without hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers including sewage sludge, irradiation, or genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). Organic meat must come from animals which eat only organic feed that hasn’t been treated with hormones and antibiotics. If you can only purchase a few organic products make it meat and dairy!

Six Reasons to buy Organic:
No Pesticides- The majority of pesticides are found in meat, poultry, and dairy. Pesticides can accumulate in the body, mimicking hormones and challenging the immune system. Toxicologists believe we may even accumulate fat to keep such toxins away from our vital organs.
No Growth Hormones- Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), a genetically modified drug, has been injected into conventional dairy cows since it was approved in 1993 despite warnings by the General Accounting Office; the Consumer Policy Institute, and the non profit group that publishes Consumer Reports, and countless other environmental groups. Breast and Prostate cancer has been linked to the consumption of rBGH) Because one of the common side effects of rBGH is mastitis (udder infection), additional antibiotics must be used in conventional milk production. The antibiotics and pus from the infection are commonly introduced into milk as a result of the infections.
No Antibiotics- In 1990’s Consumer Reports tested milk samples and found 52 different antibiotics.It is estimated that more antibiotics are used to treat healthy animals in the US than sick humans. Overuse of antibiotics can give rise to strains of drug-resistant bacteria.

Megan's Nutrition TIPS

Ideas for Healthier Eating
By Megan Northrup

1. Replace juice, soda, lemonade, or iced tea with WATER. Drink water with meals and throughout the day. I almost never leave the house without a water bottle!

2. Eat more fresh fruits & veggies! Aim for at least 5 servings per day – the more the better!
Think & plan to work more fruits & veggies into your families’ diet, until it becomes a habit. Have fruit out on the counter or washed in the fridge for snacks.
Frozen peas w/ butter buds, minced mint or lemon zest
Green beans w/ dried cranberries or sliced almonds
Glazed baby carrots (cook covered in a little salted water, uncover when almost done and cook off the water, adding a dash of sugar, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, and dab of butter)
Baked sweet potato (scrub, poke w/ fork, bake at 400 about 1 hr until completely soft)
Bagged salad (not iceberg) w/ bagged spinach & lowfat dressing
Sliced Tomatoes drizzled w/ olive oil (I recommend colavita or bertolli)
Sliced cucumbers sprinkled w/ rice vinegar
Apples (slice apples, cook covered with a bit of water & cinnamon, stirring occasionally)
Bowl of sliced peaches, berries or grapes

3. Commit to using more whole grains. Replace white bread with whole wheat. Look for loaf w/ 3g. fiber per slice and “whole wheat flour” as the 1st ingredient (not “enriched wheat flour”). Switch to whole wheat pasta, bagels, breakfast breads & cereals. Substitute ½ whole wheat flour in your favorite recipes, or look for recipes formulated to be 100% whole wheat.

4. Switch to low-fat substitutes. I almost always use low-fat milk, cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, salad dressing, mayo or miracle whip, butter spread. Replace the oil in cakes, muffins, banana breads, and pancakes with an equal amount unsweetened applesauce. (This works great with mixes. In your own recipes, you can usually replace ½ the fat without a noticeable difference, or all the fat for a slightly less desirable texture.) Use nonstick cooking spray, where possible, instead of pouring oil in or greasing a pan. Swith to low-fat ice-cream or frozen yogurt (Dreyers Slow Churned light is very good w/ 1/3 less calories & ½ the fat. Randalls and Kroger have good light ice cream in the store brand.)

5. Season wisely. Season food while cooking & get the salt shaker off the table. Use fresh ground pepper & fresh garlic. When using dry herbs/spices, crush them in a mortar & pestle or in your hand before adding to a recipe, to extract more flavorful oils. Add herbs/spices in the sautéing or browning step of a recipe, instead of with the liquid. Brown meats for braises, roasts & stews. Remove high fat ingredients (like cheese or nuts) from a dish & sprinkle them on top.


6. Splurge smart! Everyone has different preferences & priorities, in food as in life. I believe there is no such thing as a completely BAD food. Everyone has foods they love that are “worth” a splurge – so if you love chocolate, have a piece once in a while and don’t beat yourself up over it! Eating an occasional hot dog, or chocolate, or donut does not make you a bad person! Educate yourself—read the labels! But, if something is worth it to you, enjoy it! Use moderation (split a hamburger, eat ONE hot dog then fill up on veggies & fruit, scoop out ONE scoop of ice cream, don’t sit down with the carton). Keep eating healthfully & exercising. But don’t deprive yourself all the time and STOP FEELING GUILTY! You may have to make changes to have a healthier diet, but you don’t have to give up every food you enjoy forever! (Fretting and stressing and constantly depriving yourself isn’t good for your health either!)

More Tidbits from Megan's Lesson

REDUCE YOUR RISK
Regular brisk physical activity- at least 30 minutes a day – can reduce your risk of:
Premature death by 30-50%
Heart disease by 40-50%
Stroke by 30-50%
Type 2 diabetes by 30-40%
Cancer by 20-30%
Colon cancer by 30-50%
Osteoporosis by 40-50%

Published in a Mayo clinic newsletter, Source: The 30-minute Fitness Solution, by JoAnn Manson and Patricia Amend

KEEP ON TRUCKIN’
When it com3es to exercise, remember that you’re not a professional athlete- and fitness is not about perfection and getting an A+.
If you didn’t feel like going to the gym today (or if you drove to work instead of walking to the bus stop), don’t beat yourself up over it. Your good intentions are not forever destroyed because of a lapse – or two. Just tell yourself you’ll do better tomorrow. Then pat yourself on the back for all the good things you’ve done for yourself over the past few months.

FITNESS: SOME DOES A LOT
If you go from unfit to moderately fit, you cut your risk of a premature death in half.
When you go from moderately fit to very fit, you drop your risk of dying prematurely by only another 10-15%.
In other words, you don’t’ have to be an ultra-athlete to go a long way toward protecting your health.

Published in a May clinic newsletter, Source: Steven Blaire, MD, president American College of Sports Medicine

Important Info

SPECIAL THANKS to Megan Northrup for her wonderful lesson on Nutrition last week! She shared many important tips with us, including some incredibly yummy recipes!

I will be posting the recipes to our website- check out the side column.

Congrats to Last Week's Biggest Loser: CARI BRANDT! She lost 4 lbs! Way to go!

Our Water Aerobics got rained out last week- boohoo! We will be attempting to have it again this Thursday at 6pm. The meeting will follow at 7pm. Be sure to bring your water noodle and swimsuit!

ZUMBA is cancelled this week- Amy will be out of town... but she will be back and ready to teach us again starting next Wednesday July 2nd at 10:30 am at the church.

NEXT WEEK- No MEETING/ WATER AEROBICS (July 3rd). I will be leaving town for the holiday weekend that morning. Sorry for any inconvenience. If you would like to still come weigh in, you may come anytime after 11am on Wednesday morning (7/2/08). Please call first.

THIS WEEK-
My home is open to those that need a place to workout: Tuesday- between 12pm - 2pm, Wednesday between 2pm - 4pm, and Friday 10am - 1pm. Please call first to make sure I am there.

LAST NIGHT'S MEETING

Last night we focused on how to keep ourselves motivated to continue making good healthy choices. I shared something I found online- it is a 5 Day Spiritual Workout. The link to it is in the post prior to this one.

Day One- Who Inspires You?

Write in your journal about all of the people who inspire you and why.

For me, I started close to home- my MOM. She inspires me b/c she faces so many trials and tribulations with her health, and yet she still has FAITH.

Then I looked to work- We have a lady at work, VICKI- I swear the only reason she works is so that she will have money to spend on the kids at our school.

Next I looked to the world- People like Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Then I looked at the scriptures- Sarah, Eve, Nephi

And then the ULTIMATE inspiration- Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Take a picture of one person from your list and in one word sum up what inspires you about them and put it on your mirror. For me, it is a picture of my MOM:

COURAGE

Day Two: Inhale, Exhale

Today you will take the time to breathe and meditate. Whenever you feel stress creeping in, you will make an effort to stop and breathe. Think about things that bring you peace. Read your scriptures. Pray.

Day Three: What's Your Theme Song?

This was my favorite! I listened to a TON of songs- listening for inspiring rhythms and lyrics. I narrowed my search down to 3 songs that I now LOVE. Each I believe has been a theme song for a different part of my life. The first song was "DO IT ANYWAY"- Martina McBride. It is very inspiring. The second song- which I have always loved is- "Go the Distance"- Micheal Bolton. It is from "Hercules" the Disney Movie. It is a great song about ENDURING TO THE END. I happened upon a song that is perfect for me in my life now- a song that I didn't really care for as mucch when I first heard it. But for some reason- when looking for a theme song, the lyrics just jumped out at me and now I have grown to LOVE it! I listen to it every morning to start my day out right. It is "PROUD" by Heather Small. THe message of the song is, "What have you done today to make yourself feel proud?" There are so many inpsiring songs out there- pick on that is yours and let it inspire you on a daily basis!

Day Four: Say Something Nice

When I did this my attitude soared. I went to Walmart and complimented the greeter and the the checker. It was amazing how much it lifted their spirits and mine. On Day Four, compliment EVERY person you come in contact with.

Day Five: Awaken the Child Within

Think about what you loved to do as a child. For me it was drawing. Another thing that I absolutely adored was singing. I loved pulling up to a stoplight and having the windows down with the music blasting and singing for everyone to hear. I hadn't done that as an adult. So, on my Day 5, I did just that. I pulled up to a stoplight, turned up the music, and sang my heart out.... Yea- People were staring, and I looked like a weirdo- but you know what? It felt GREAT! I felt like a kid again. It was SO FREEING!

My Mom, My Baby Sis CarrieBeth (just turned 26 this week!) and Me

If you do these things, you will find that they give your spirit an uplift. They will help keep you motivated! I know b/c they worked for me!

CONGRATS TO OUR BIGGEST LOSERS THIS WEEK (Each lost 2.5 pounds!)

MARGIE, AMY, & BRIGGITE!

NEXT WEEK: WATER AEROBICS 6pm, followed by our meeting at 7pm

ZUMBA at the church Wednesday at 10:30 am

My Home is available for workouts: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday- CALL to schedule a time. I am home Monday and Tuesdays at 11am from classes. Friday, I am available starting at 8am.

FREE AEROBICS CLASSES!!!

Our friendly neighborhood aerobics instructor- AMY DEL RE has offered to teach 2 FREE Classes for our group!

She will be teaching ZUMBA (Latin Cardio Dancing) at the church on

WEDNESDAYS at 11am

Bring your own water. Kids are okay!
The church is located at 505 Deseret FRIENDSWOOD , TX 77546.


She will also be teaching WATER AEROBICS in my pool on

THURSDAYS at 6pm (Beginning June 19th)

Bring your swimsuit, a change of clothes, a water noodle, and bottled water!
No Children Please.


OUR MEETINGS will be rescheduled to Thursdays at 7pm after Water Aerobics beginning on June 19th.

THIS WEEK'S MEETING IS THRUSDAY AT 6PM.
SEE YOU ALL THERE!!!!

Meeting Update 6/5/08

We had our 4th meeting last night. I am happy to report that everyone seems to be doing really well!

Welcome to our newest members: Lee Parsons, Angie Madrazo, and Robin (sorry I didn't catch your last name). We are excited to have you with us!

Last night we discussed the benefits of exercising. If you go to the link below, you will see what we talked about:

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/motive.htm

We also discussed our reasons for being part of the group and what our goals are. Special thanks to ROBIN for introducing us to a new website that is a great tool! You can use it for free or pay.

www.thedailyplate.com

another helpful source is www.calorieking.com


We will be having our first WATER AEROBICS class on Thursday June 19th at 6pm, our meeting will follow at 7pm- So bring your swimsuit & a change of clothes!

We are in the process of setting up ZUMBA classes starting next week. More details to come...

Congratulations to the Biggest Losers of the week:
Heather Nielson lost 4.5 lbs, and Nicole Hurley lost 3 lbs. GREAT JOB!



At our meeting we discussed how this group can really change your life. We talked about how making good choices makes you grow mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I found a website that I would like to share with you. It is a 5 Day Spiritual Workout. I am going to do it, I recommend each of you try it too.
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/176/story_17647_1.html

LAST WEEK

The Biggest Loser last week was RACHEL CARDENAS!!!!! (yeah!) Congratulations!
Everyone is wokring so hard. Each of you should be proud of yourself! Tonight's meeting is at 6pm at my house. We will have a guest speaker AMY DELRE! Hope to see you there!

Our last meeting

WELL, our last meeting was only attended by a few- but we got a LOT out of it. We missed those of you who were unable to make it. We weighed in and CONGRATULATIONS to AMY & CARRIEBETH for losing the most weight last week. They each lost 4.5 pounds! AWESOME! Also, kudos to BETH for losing 2.5 pounds! All of that hard work is really paying off for you ladies! Everyone who was there lost at least .5 pounds. Keep up the hard work and we will continue to see amazing results! We decided as a group that we would like to use part of our meeting time to experiment with new workouts- like hula, salsa, pilates, bellydancing, etc. We will do short 10 minute exercises- just to see if it is something you would like to continue. As always, I am open to suggestions for things to do in our group meetings. I truly enjoyed our discussion time- we were able to really help one another. Try to make it to all of the meetings if possible, b/c they really will help you continue on a path to a healthier happier you.

Losing Weight

This is another wonderful article I found by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.
If we couple these things with exercise and watching our caloric intake- we will definitely see success!

Lose 10 Pounds in Six Weeks
Posted Wed, Apr 09, 2008, 5:05 am PDT

Here are five simple food swaps that can help you lose more than 10 pounds in the next six weeks.
1. Stick to one serving of cereal. For most people, a typical pour of breakfast cereal is equal to two servings. If you're trying to lose weight, trim calories by accurately measuring one serving into your bowl (usually that means ¾ - 1 cup, however, cereal serving sizes vary so you must regularly check the package labeling on your favorite brands and varieties).
For those who eat a daily bowl of breakfast cereal, follow my lead, and you'll save about 150 calories by cutting back on cereal and at least 50 calories in extra milk every morning. That's 8,400 calories saved and 2.5 pounds lost at the end of six weeks!
2. Skip your late night snack. We all feel the need to munch in the evening, and although a p.m. snack can be perfectly appropriate (diet-friendly p.m. snacks should not exceed 150 calories), for many people, the evening tends to be the time of day we blow it on calorie overload - comfort food central; ice cream, cookies, potato chips, popcorn and more!
On average, people gobble down way more than 250 calories after 8 p.m. Exercise some willpower and skip your nighttime snack altogether. Sip an herbal tea, floss/brush your teeth and close down the kitchen for the evening. You'll save at least 250 calories each day and after six weeks, you'll have cut 10,500 calories and dropped three whole pounds!
3. Scratch the butter/margarine. Cut out a total of one tablespoon of regular butter or margarine from your toast, veggies, potatoes, dinner rolls, etc. each day. At 100 calories per tablespoon, you'll save 4,200 calories and drop over one pound in six weeks. What if you can't give up the butter or margarine? At least switch to a soft tub spread that says "reduced fat" and "trans-fat free" on the label - it's half the calories of the full fat versions, so you'll still drop over ½ pound.
4. Lose the mayo and cheese on your sandwich Omit the slice of cheese and mayonnaise on your sandwich (use mustard instead - only five calories per teaspoon) and you'll save about 200 calories per sandwich. If you eat a sandwich a day, you'll end up saving 8,400 calories and find yourself 2.5 pounds lighter after just six weeks.
5. Delete the extras: It's amazing how much extra food we can munch on without realizing it - a grab of this/that off our kid's plate, an extra packet of ketchup or salad dressing, a bite of your co-worker's dessert... before you know it, you've consumed an extra 800 calories!
Be super mindful and delete the "extras" and you'll be able to trim a significant amount of calories off your weekly total. Also, pay attention to your beverages (alcohol included) - as well as what's going into your coffee and tea. By trimming 1000 extra calories off each week (about 150 per day), you'll save a total of 6000 calories and drop 1.75 pounds at the end of six weeks!
Follow all five tips and you'll potentially lose more than 10 pounds at the end of six short weeks. Here's the math: 2.5 pounds + 3 pounds + 1 pound + 2.5 pounds + 1.75 pound = 10+ pounds lost!

Eating Out

This is a good article that I found on yahoo. It was written by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.

4 Restaurant Slimming Tips
Posted Tue, May 13, 2008, 3:45 am PDT

Dining out can be quite the challenge when you’re looking to knock off a few pounds or simply eat healthy. Here are four slimming tips you can use at your next restaurant outing:
1) Think small: Restaurant portions are often gigantic. Scale back by ordering one to two non-fried appetizers instead of an entrée – or consider sharing an entrée with a friend. You can also divide your main course in half and take half home for a future meal.
2) Delete the bread basket: Each slice adds about 100 calories – plus 50 additional calories for every teaspoon of butter or olive oil you add. That said, politely (and immediately!) ask to have the entire basket removed.
3) Lose liquid calories: Beverage calories add up quickly – calories that don’t necessarily fill you up. Try your best to pass on soda, fruit drinks, fruit juice, smoothies, fattening cocktails, and coffee loaded with milk and sugar. Instead, drink lots of water, seltzer, and unsweetened ice tea. For coffee and tea, use skim and/or 1% reduced fat milk – and limit the sugar to 1 packet per cup.
4) Special request: Speak up and ask your waiter for a few substitutions. Request foods which are baked, steamed, broiled, grilled, poached, or roasted…. and ask to replace fatty French fries with a baked potato or side vegetable. Also, request your sandwich on whole wheat bread instead of white, specify brown rice instead of white rice and ask for salad dressing, gravy, and sauces on the side. These minor adjustments translate into major calorie savings.

Our First Meeting

Our first meeting went really well I think. I hope those of you that came felt like you got something out of it. For those of you that weren't able to make it, we missed you and hope to see you next week!


Tonight we talked about the top ten things you can do to get healthy- which I have already psoted on this site. We also talked about the best low-cal snacks to eat, and if you have to eat fast food- what and where to eat. (I have handouts for those that missed.) We talked about the importance of subsitutions in recipes to help keep us healthy.


I am really grateful to all those that came- this is something I am really passionate about and am so happy to share it with all of you. I get strength from each of you and I hope that you will continue to come.


Remember, some of the best advice you can get about being healthy is in the scriptures in the Word of Wisdom. Read and ponder over it and you will gain a testimony of it and see how it can bless your life.


My goal for all of us is that through our meetings and healthy changes we are making, that we will come to know of our divine nature and really truly love ourselves and see ourselves the way our Father in heaven sees us.


I will share my favorite quote again with you (I have extra copies if anyone wants one):



"You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be."

We are all on the path to becoming who we want to be. I pray that each of us will come to see our inner beauty as we strive to achieve our goals. Never forget that you are a divine daughter of our Heavenly Father.

STARTING OUT!

I am excited to start this new adventure with all of you! I know that if we put our minds to it, we can accomplish all of our goals. Feel free to post your personal weightloss updates to share, or to email me pics and statistics, I will post them for you. Best of luck to everyone!